Numerical simulation of tropical cyclones by an axisymmetric nonhydrostatic model

Summary As an approach to study the mesoscale processes within a typhoon, an axisymmetric nonhydrostatic numerical model is developed without the use of convective parameterization. Many simulated characteristics are consistent with radar and aircraft observations, such as the maximum of vertical and tangential wind, the inflow concentrated near the surface, the outward slope of the eyewall updraft, etc. The model duplicates not only the outward propagation of mesoscale convective systems, but also the inward movement of convective rings, the rate of which coincides with the observation. Besides, the model gives good simulations of the life cycle of convective rings, and indicates that the convective rings far from the eyewall play important roles in the fluctuation of typhoon intensity. Numerical results also exhibit the existence of coupling between outer and inner core structure.Analyses of the simulations show that convective momentum transport generates local maximum absolute angular momentum in the middle and upper troposphere. The momentum anomaly results in symmetric instability, which provides the environment to form convective rings. While the momentum anomaly moves outward with the outflow in the middle and upper troposphere, it initiates a series of convective rings with aid of other direct factors, which explains the outward propagation of convective systems.The simulations exhibit the life cycle of a typical convective ring in terms of three stages, or the developing, mature and dissipating stage. Analysis shows that the symmetric instability and the convective instability promote each other, and their cooperation makes the life of convective rings longer.With 8 Figures     

Authigenic iron oxide formation in the estuarine mixing zone of the Yangtze River

Estuaries are elementary geochemical fronts where river water and seawater mix. Within this mixing zone, iron and other non-conservative elements can undergo complex reactions to form new solid phases. In order to understand authigenic iron oxide formation in the Yangtze River Estuary, two onsite water-mixing sets of experiments were conducted, one by mixing variable amounts of unfiltered Yangtze River water with filtered East China Sea water of different salinity (set 1), the other by mixing variable amounts of filtered Yangtze River water with filtered East China Sea water of different salinity (set 2). In set 2, the minerals newly formed in the course of mixing were investigated by means of a scanning electron microscope fitted with an energy-dispersive X-ray analytical system. It was found that ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite were formed in these mixing experiments, coexisting in nearly equal amounts. These iron oxides appear as aggregated particles with a large grain-size range of several microns to more than 100 μm. The electrolytic properties of seawater played an important role in the formation of these authigenic iron oxides. Kaolinite and organic aggregates were also found in the experimentally mixed pre-filtered waters. Amounts of newly formed suspended matter (set 2) were one to three orders of magnitude lower than those of total suspended matter (TSM) (set 1). This implies that newly formed minerals represent only a very small proportion of TSM in the estuarine mixing zone of the Yangtze River.     

Effects of organic toxicants on the anoxic energy metabolism of the mussel Mytilus edulis

The anoxic rates of heat dissipation by mussels (Mytilus edulis) were enhanced after exposure to pentachlorophenol (PCP) and tributyltin (TBT), both known uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation. The degree of metabolic activation under anoxia was dependent upon the amount of toxicant accumulated in the tissues, but the concentration-response relationship was different to that under aerobic conditions. Biochemical measurements indicated that the anaerobic metabolic pathways were significantly disturbed by PCP and TBT. There was a decline in succinate, an increase in the fumarate: succinate ratio, and an increase in the accumulation of lactate, indicating a shift from succinate to lactate anaerobic pathways. A consequence of organic toxicant exposure was a reduction in anoxic survival time of mussels.     

Late mesozoic A-Type granitoids in se China and paleo-pacific plate subduction and slab rollback北大核心CSCD

This study has reviewed the distribution and pedogenesis of late Mesozoic A-Type granitoids in SE China. These A-Type granitoids belong to four belts ( S Jiangxi-SW Fujian belt, Xiang-Gui-Yue belt, Can-Hang belt and coastal belt) due to their temporal-spatial distribution. Based on the comparative analysis of chronology, geochemistry and magmatic association, this study has discussed the formation of A-Type granitoids and the subduction and slab rollback process of paleo-Pacific plate beneath SE China.     

Discovery of the 'missing' mode in HR 1217 by the Whole Earth Telescope

HR 1217 is a prototypical rapidly oscillating Ap star that has presented a test to the theory of non-radial stellar pulsation. Prior observations showed a clear pattern of five modes with alternating frequency spacings of 33.3 and 34.6 μHz, with a sixth mode at a problematic spacing of 50.0 μHz (which equals  1.5×33.3 μHz)  to the high-frequency side. Asymptotic pulsation theory allowed for a frequency spacing of 34 μHz, but Hipparcos observations rule out such a spacing. Theoretical calculations of magnetoacoustic modes in Ap stars by Cunha predicted that there should be a previously undetected mode 34 μHz higher than the main group, with a smaller spacing between it and the highest one. In this Letter, we present preliminary results from a multisite photometric campaign on the rapidly oscillating Ap star HR 1217 using the 'Whole Earth Telescope'. While a complete analysis of the data will appear in a later paper, one outstanding result from this run is the discovery of a newly detected frequency in the pulsation spectrum of this star, at the frequency predicted by Cunha.     

On the maximum value of the cosmic abundance of oxygen and the oxygen yield

We search for the maximum oxygen abundance in spiral galaxies. Because this maximum value is expected to occur in the centres of the most luminous galaxies, we have constructed the luminosity – central metallicity diagram for spiral galaxies, based on a large compilation of existing data on oxygen abundances of H  ii regions in spiral galaxies. We found that this diagram shows a plateau at high luminosities  (−22.3 ≲ M _B ≲−20.3)  , with a constant maximum value of the gas-phase oxygen abundance  12 + log (O/H) ∼ 8.87  . This provides strong evidence that the oxygen abundance in the centres of the most luminous metal-rich galaxies reaches the maximum attainable value of oxygen abundance. Since some fraction of the oxygen (about 0.08 dex) is expected to be locked into dust grains, the maximum value of the true gas + dust oxygen abundance in spiral galaxies is 12 + log(O/H) ∼ 8.95. This value is a factor of ∼2 higher than the recently estimated solar value. Based on the derived maximum oxygen abundance in galaxies, we found the oxygen yield to be about 0.0035, depending on the fraction of oxygen incorporated into dust grains.     

The analytic properties of the flapping current sheets in the earth magnetotail

The current sheet in Earth’s magnetotail often flaps, and the flapping waves could be induced propagating towards the dawn and dusk flanks, which could make the current sheet dynamic. To explore the dynamic characteristics of current sheet associated with the flapping motion holistically and provide reasonable physical interpretations, detailed direct calculation and analysis have been applied to one approximate analytic model of magnetic field in the flapping current sheet. The main results from the model demonstrate: (1) the magnetic fluctuation amplitude is attenuated from the center of current sheet to the lobe regions; The larger wave amplitude would induce the larger magnetic amplitude; (2) the curvature of magnetic field lines (MFLs), with maximum at the center of current sheet, is only dependent on the displacement Z along the south-north direction from the center of current sheet, regardless of the tilt of current sheet; (3) the half-thickness of neutral sheet, h, the minimum curvature radius of MFLs, R_cmin, and the tilt angle of current sheet, δ, satisfies h=R_cmin cos δ; (4) the gradient of magnetic strength forms a double-peak profile, and the peak value would be more intense if the local current sheet is more tilted; (5) current density j and its j_y, j_z components reach the extremum at the center of CS. j and j_z would be more intense if the local current sheet is more tilted, but it is not the case for j_y; and (6) the field-aligned component of current density mainly appears in the neutral sheet, and the sign of it would change alternatively as the flapping waves passing by. To check the validity of the model, one simulation on the virtual measurements has been made, and the results are in well consistence with actual observations of Cluster.     

The evolution of the z distribution of normal neutron stars in the Galaxy

Under the two initial 1‐D one parameter velocity distribution forms (one is normal, the other is exponential), the z direction scale height evolution of normal neutron stars in the Galaxy is studied by numerical simulation. We do statistics for the cases at different time segments, also do statistics for the cumulative cases made of each time segment. The results show in the cumulative cases the evolution curves of the scale heights are smoother than in the each time segment, i.e., the cumulation improve the signal‐to‐noise ratio. Certainly the evolution cases are different at different Galactic disk locations, which also have very large difference from the average cases in the whole disk. In the initial stages of z evolution of normal neutron stars, after the beginning transient states, the cumulative scale heights increase linearly with time, and the cumulative scale height increasing rates have linear relationship with the initial velocity distribution parameters, which have larger fluctuation in the vicinity of the Sun than in the whole disk. We utilize the linear relationship of the cumulative scale height increasing rates vs. the initial velocity distribution parameters in the vicinity of the Sun to make comparison with the observation near the Sun. The results show if there is no magnetic decay, then the deserved initial velocity parameters are obvious lower than the present well known results from some authors; whereas if introducing magnetic decay, for the 1‐D normal case we can make consistence among concerning results using magnetic decay time values which are supported by some authors, while for the 1‐D exponential case the results show the lackness of young pulsar samples in the larger z in the vicinity of the Sun (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)